Artificial sweeteners have become a staple for many brands today. They're popular because they give the illusion of sugar but have fewer or no calories. Because their flavour is much sweeter than natural sugar, less sweetener is required overall, and brands can market their products as 'low sugar' or 'sugar-free'.
Today, these sweeteners are found in everything, from diet sodas and sports drinks to yoghurt and breakfast cereals. But they also appear in less obvious places, like kids' toothpaste and vitamin gummies.
You've probably heard of a few of these ingredients before. Some of the most popular ones include aspartame, stevia, saccharin and sucralose. But while we've grown accustomed to seeing these terms on our food and drink labels, many wonder whether these sweeteners also come with long-term side effects. After all, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) stated in July 2023 that aspartame is now classified as "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
Statements like this can be alarming, but reading beyond the headlines is important. Below, we've gathered the latest information on artificial sweeteners, including advice from Anna Zuchniak, a paediatric dietitian at Cayman Nutrition.
What are the Benefits of Artificial Sweeteners?
Kids are naturally drawn to sugar, so don't be alarmed if your little one has a sweet tooth. Children actually have a much higher tolerance for sweets in comparison to adults. Think about some of the snacks and drinks you loved as a kid… they're probably way too sugary for you now! It's clear that our taste buds change over time, but during childhood, kids' brains are often hard-wired to go for something sweet.
With that in mind, artificial sweeteners do have their benefits. They offer the sweetness kids crave but remove high amounts of sugar. This can help lower the risk of things like tooth decay and cavities. They can also help children with weight management, as high-sugar items can lead to obesity and the development of other health concerns over time.
In general, the NHS recommends that sugar should not make up more than 5% of our daily calories. That means children ages 7-10 should have no more than 24g of sugar per day (around six sugar cubes), and children ages 4-6 should have no more than 19g (five sugar cubes). There are no guidelines for children under four years old, as sugar should be avoided at this age.
However, it's important to note that today, many children consume much more sugar than what is deemed healthy — a can of soda alone can have up to nine cubes of sugar! From 2017 to 2018, the US Department of Agriculture conducted a study on food patterns across America. They concluded that the average daily sugar intake for children and young adults was a whopping 17 cubes of sugar — almost three times the recommended amount. Now, obesity is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions in the US, with 19.7% of kids affected. Hence, artificial sweeteners can be very helpful in that they help kids cut back on sugar. However, a balanced and nutritious diet is the key to real results and optimal health.
Concerns Surrounding Artificial Sweeteners
In general, artificial sweeteners are very safe in smaller quantities. Everything on the market has gone through a series of testing and safety assessments, and while there are a few concerns about long-term effects, research is still ongoing. For example, aspartame (a type of artificial sweetener found in many products) was first introduced to the public in 1981. However, in July 2023 (over 40 years later), the IARC labelled it 'possibly carcinogenic to humans.'
However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) disagrees with this conclusion and stresses that aspartame is "one of the most studied food additives in the human food supply." It's a key ingredient used worldwide, and regulatory and scientific authorities like Health Canada and the European Food Safety Authority consider it safe.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), which was also involved in this research, reaffirmed that aspartame is still safe to consume in limited quantities. For example, WHO states that "with a can of diet soft drink containing 200mg or 300mg of aspartame, an adult weighing 150lbs would need to consume more than 9-14 cans per day to exceed the acceptable daily intake". To put that in perspective for kids, a 40lb child would need to drink four 12oz cans of diet soda every day to reach these dangerous levels.
That being said, there are still other concerns about artificial sugars. Because these additives are so sweet, kids may develop even bigger cravings for sweet foods and drinks. If they become accustomed to these flavours, they may even refuse water or nutritious snacks that are less sweet.
In fact, some new studies suggest that sweeteners can also affect gut health and metabolism. Researchers are currently investigating whether these additives promote food cravings, and some believe they may even affect how our bodies manage blood sugar levels.
Should Children Have Artificial Sweeteners?
With so much information, making a choice about artificial sweeteners can feel daunting. We asked Anna Zuchniak, a Paediatric Dietitian at Cayman Nutrition, for her opinion.
In general, Zuchniak says that the approach to artificial sweeteners should be the same as sugar: "Try to limit the intake as much as possible for kids but allow some wiggle room for special occasion treats." That said, she notes that children ages two and under should never consume artificial sweeteners. "Young children require a lot of nutrition to grow optimally," she says, "so they shouldn't be filling up on products that contain no or low nutritional value."
Zuchniak emphasises that artificial sweeteners aren't inherently dangerous for older kids. "No high-quality study has shown that artificial sweeteners in the amounts found in food products can cause cancer, birth defects or behavioural issues," she says. “However, as foods that contain artificial sweeteners aren't typically very nutritious, I would again advise limiting their consumption in order to optimise nutritiously dense foods in a child's diet."
There are some unique instances where children should never have artificial sweeteners. For example, children diagnosed with phenylketonuria or PKU (a rare genetic condition) are not able to metabolise phenylalanine, an amino acid found in aspartame. But for the vast majority of us, artificial sweeteners are safe in the quantities we consume them.
"The research and information on artificial sweeteners can be quite overwhelming and confusing," says Zuchniak. "When in doubt, speak with a registered dietitian to figure out a tailored approach for your child's nutritional needs!"
